His family came to America from Ireland in the mid-1800s. Her family came to America from Mexico in the early 1930s. No one could have guessed that in 1953 the union between Donald J. Quinn and Victoria Garcia (Quinn) would lead to a Kansas City legacy rich in culture, education, success and service.

Donald Quinn Sr. was the first in the family to graduate from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1962 with a law degree.

“My dad has been the backbone of our morals and values, which has kept us a close family,” says daughter Kathy Quinn.

Following their father, seven of the Quinn’s eight children attended UMKC. Three married UMKC alumni.

“Not only has UMKC been convenient,” Donald Quinn Sr. says, “it has been the best thing to happen to our family. I think my children liked UMKC because I liked it. I had a great experience at the law school, and I told them ‘you can’t get anything better at any other school, plus, you can stay at home in Kansas City.’”

With the support and encouragement of their family, many of the Quinn family members have turned their success into service. There are the lawyers (father, daughter-in-law and son), who have donated their legal services to help Spanish and Irish immigrants. There is the community volunteer who gave Kansas City Mexicans a forum to celebrate their heritage. There is the prominent plastic surgeon who brings medical aid to the Dominican Republic each year, and who donated his skills to operate on a small boy with a cancerous growth whose mother could not afford medical care for her son. There is the public affairs specialist working for Children International. There is the broadcast journalist who has found ways to help dozens of family-serving non-profit agencies throughout the community. There are two family members who put their careers aside to raise the next generation of caring Quinns, but still found time to volunteer to help children with special needs. And, there is an award-winning sales executive who serves on a steering committee to benefit children’s organizations.

From these two generations come yet another, preparing to follow in the impressive footsteps of their parents and grandparents.

The Quinn family is the 2005 Legacy Award recipient for obvious reasons. The award recognizes one family that has made attending UMKC a tradition. The recipient family must include three generations of graduates with a record of outstanding service to the University, the Alumni Association and to the community. The family qualifies on all levels.

It is through these and many other contributions that the Quinn family has taken their gifts of education and success and used them to give back, each in a way unique to his or her own talents, and each in a way that will not be forgotten by the people they have touched.

Members of the Quinn family who have attended UMKC are:  Donald J. Quinn (J.D. ’62); Donald J. Quinn II (B.A. ’77, J.D. ’80); John Michael Quinn (M.D. ’81); Kathy Quinn Byrne (B.A. ’83); Dolores Quinn Kitchin (B.A. ’86); Elizabeth Quinn Babcock (attended UMKC ’83-’86 and ’90-’91); Phillip Gerard Babcock (B.B.A. ’85); Mary Harkins Quinn (J.D. ’84); and Thomas Houlehan (attended ’03-’04).

The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 14,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students.  UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a three-part mission: visual and performing arts, health sciences, and urban affairs.

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